Sunday Smatterings

Hello, my darlings. I am BACK from my social hiatus! Every year when Lent arrives, I take a break from social media, embrace the silence of the season as a way to re-center myself as the world wakes up and comes alive again, and me with it. When Easter comes, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated, having accomplished many things in the silence, namely the joy of having ritual in my life again, a quiet space to listen to the still, small voice inside of myself, whispering that all is okay, I am enough, go to the page and the words will come.

And they do. They always do.

I admit, I miss you when I'm on hiatus. I like chatting with you, catching up, seeing what's new and what you're into these days. Some days the silence doesn't come as naturally as others, and I feel restless when I can't pop in for a quick hello, how are you?

But. Easter is here, and spring with it, and here I come bounding back into the energy of the world. It's good to be back again.

Anyway. On to the links!

Here's what happened on the Internets this week:

This article, right here. The name alone is compelling enough: What If All I Want Is a Mediocre Life? (To be fair, I don't think "mediocre" is the word I'd use. Maybe just... normal. Quiet. Content.) There's something to be said for a life with less striving and more being. It's a wonderful, thought-provoking read.

Also this, because life is messy, and life is hard: Here's to All of You Trying to Make the Most of a Bad Situation. I agree with the idea that we should celebrate the heroes among us who are finding ways to get by, instead of ways to get glory. 

In that vein, here are 50 Ways to Live Life on Your Own Terms. Because self-empowerment is a beautiful thing. This read has really realigned the way I'm approaching most everything in my life.
 

Something lighter, all told in Gilmore Girls gifs, because Gilmore Girls: 15 Things All Book Lovers Fight About. (I guarantee you'll find a couple that make you go 😡)

Oh, and Peggy Noonan won the Pulitzer, which I just love, because I love her (and have for decades). I don't always agree with her, but she was the most powerful female voice in D.C. when I Iived there, (she's a writer, remember. The pen is mightier than the sword... 1,000 points of light... shining cities on hills, you know, the idealistic view of life and politics, the one I fled from with great sadness?) and she stuck with me.

Aspiring thriller writers, are you stuck? Don't worry—this is the best way to start a book. Even Neil Gaiman says so.

And a last little lovely for your brain: these are the writing retreats from some of our favorite authors. (LOVE.)

And closer to home:

Gymnasts start at age three or four. So how do they really know what they really want, and how do the parents know when their [own] desires have taken over? –says the wise and über talented thriller writer Megan Abbott in this week's A WORD ON WORDS episode.

We touched on her latest book, YOU WILL KNOW ME, and why genre distinction doesn't really matter (a good story is a good story, y'all).

Are you looking for more good things to fill your ears? I found a few podcasts I really, really enjoy... and invent errands to drive around town for so I can listen.

Big news: my 2017 standalone, LIE TO ME? It has a cover—and it is GORGEOUS!!! You can learn more about the book here. (FYI: I think it's the best one I've ever written. Dead serious.)

Guess what? Three of you won't have to wait until the book comes in September to read it. Oh, no. Because three of you can win an ARC!!!!!! Click here to learn how to enter to win.

That's it from me, y'all! Enjoy your Easter Sunday (maybe you found the prize egg??), or your Passover, should you celebrate one or the other, pick a few flowers and put them in a vase, bring cookies to your elderly neighbors. We'll talk again soon.

xo,
J.T.

A Word on Words with Megan Abbott

Photo Credit: Nashville Public Television

Gymnasts start at age three or four. So how do they really know what they really want, and how do the parents know when their [own] desires have taken over?

I had a blast talking with one of the most talented novelists of our time, thriller writer Megan Abbott. We touched on her latest book, YOU WILL KNOW ME, a fascinating look into the life of a gymnastics prodigy and who the ambition for greatness really belongs to—child or parent? We also talked about why genre distinction doesn't really matter (a good story is a good story, y'all).

The Divine Inspiration of the Perfect Podcast

I am late to the podcast game. 

I am a visual learner, which means when I’m in the car going places, I’m don't normally use that time constructively. I make phone calls (hands-free, of course) and listen to music. I’ve tried audiobooks, but unless they are seriously engaging (Rosamund Pike reading PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, for example) I have a difficult time with them. 

But I wanted to use my car time more productively, so I subscribed to Elizabeth Gilbert’s MAGIC LESSONS podcast. I hadn’t read Big Magic yet, but I liked the idea of getting bits of inspiration as I drove around town.

And boy, did that work. I was hooked. I caught myself creating trips out just to listen. (I know, I could have listened at home, but I LOVE to drive, so…) When I finished, I told everyone I know to listen, and listen now, and I looked for something new to capture my attention.

I came across a podcast called WRITING EXCUSES. It has an adorable pitch— “15 Minutes Long, Because You’re in a Hurry, and We’re Not That Smart!”

OK. Totally in.

I scrolled for something that looked up my alley, for something I’d connect with. The proprietors of said podcast (Mary Robinette Kowal, Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells) all write in the fantasy, sci-fi world, so I worried for a moment that I was going to feel lost in space somewhere, but I love Sanderson, and what the heck, it’s fifteen minutes. (Though of course it has 12 SEASONS)

I picked an episode called “Elemental Thriller.”

Holy shit, people.

You know what’s totally awesome? Having people who don’t write your genre exclusively dissect your genre. I learned SO MUCH. A lot I already knew instinctively, I just hadn’t heard it phrased that way. But the most important thing was, I listened for five minutes and suddenly realized the essence of what was troubling me with my WIP—and fixed it that night. This particular episode was the key to allowing me to finish LIE TO ME.

I was hooked—again. I never expected something presented in a such a silly way to have such a remarkable effect on my writing. I of course went back to the beginning of Season 9 and have been systematically working my way in. I’m halfway through Season 11 now, and I am 100% convinced my writing is stronger, tighter, and more impactful because of all I’ve learned. The way they talk about story, about themes and elemental genres, just makes sense. 

Highly recommend you listen, and try some of the writing prompts! It will help you think about your story in a different way, guaranteed. And hey, we all need to learn, right?

Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Hi, guys! It's me, The Kerr. Did you have a good week? Everything is getting so green again, I wake up to a brilliant blue sky every morning, and the evening sun hangs out much longer after work than it used to.

I love spring. I love feeling the warm breezes, working by an open window, seeing the joggers and stroller-pushing mamas out again. I feel a bit brighter, too, full of energy and possibility. I hope you're feeling it too!

Here's what I've been up to this week.

What I'm Eating

Confession: this is kind of like guacamole. But not really.

I had this avocado salad at a little brunch place near my house, and I order it every time I go—it's so simple, yet so delicious. Diced avocado, shallots, grape tomatoes, lime juice, olive oil, salt & pepper. That's it! Gentle tossed together, it's a perfect little salad to serve for Easter brunch, or placed on spinach with some chicken on top. 

Alas, I have no photos of said salad, because...

Another Confession: I am not a professional food blogger. This is evident by the way I consume everything I eat without taking photos of it. What can I say? When it comes to food, I have trouble with the word no. 🤷‍♀️

What I'm Playing (on my headphones)

I'm a sucker for a good podcast. This week I blazed through S-Town, from the producers of Serial and This American Life.

Murder, mayhem, a treasure hunt, a clock maker, small town Southern politics, a backyard maze with 64 permutations of escape, Kant and Plato. This seven-part series is all over the place—I mean that in the best way possible. Every spare bit of downtime I had—cooking, cleaning, dog walking—I was listening to this riveting show. It has the intrigue of Serial Season 1 without having to wait weeks for the next episode. I highly recommend it.

If that didn't convince you, here's a lil' preview.

Um, yeah. Go listen to it.

What I'm Reading

Remember last week, when I talked about my favorite, must-pre-order-book-as-soon-as-I-see-it-and-wait-in-breathless-anticipation-for-release-day authors?

Anne Lamott is one of those authors.

This week, her new book HALLELUJAH ANYWAY showed up on my Kindle. I have gleefully been reading a chapter every morning over coffee—it's my motivator to get out of bed and get through a workout, actually. The sooner you get this over with, I think, the sooner you can go read Anne.

I always need a kick in the pants, and Anne is always there to give me one—and a laugh or two along the way. Filled with thoughts on mercy, why we all need it, and how to spread it around, it's a lovely way to start each day, a goal to aspire to. I fail miserably, but I'm still practicing.
 

What I'm Watching

This. This video from Harlequin is hysterical. The 75 seconds are worth your time, I promise. 

Dog of the Week

This week's winner is my greyhound, Crockett, for being this week's #1 office distraction. He can't understand why anyone would ever stop snuggling with him. 

I know, buttercup. But Mommy's gotta bring home the rawhide somehow.

A WORD ON WORDS with John Hart

Photo Credit: Nashville Public Television

"Humans are flawed creatures. The things that make them great aren't always bright and shiny."

So true, John Hart. So true.

Watch this brilliant interview with my co-host, Mary Laura Philpott, and her Davidson College co-alum, thriller novelist John Hart. Redemption Road is a phenomenal book, go check it out!